DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott has been urged not to break his promise to help make sure Airbus can ship its wings from Mostyn Docks.

Shadow Welsh Secretary Bill Wiggin tabled questions in the Commons about progress on allowing dredging of the River Dee.

Mr Wiggin was told by a junior minister, acting for Mr Prescott, "the competent authorities are considering this issue under the terms of the Habitats Directive".

The Port of Mostyn claims the dredging is necessary to allow superships 24-hour access to collect wings made at Airbus' Broughton plant, and take them to the company's base in France.

Yesterday, part of the super-jumbo's fuselage was floated along the Gironde river in France. Similar barges are planned to transport the wings from Broughton to Mostyn.

The Port's managing director Jim O'Toole said last night the company had provided the regulatory authorities with further information about other proposals.

"That means looking at alternative means of dredging and how we might carry it out. I would like to think we are making progress, but there is no deadline on this," he said.

Mr O'Toole added the alternative proposals did not include examination of other possible ways of moving the A380 superjumbo wings because Airbus had concluded using the Dee Estuary port was the "only viable option".

He said the first wing set was due to leave the port in mid-April.

Conservative Member for North Wales Mark Isherwood, who pushed for the Parliamentary question, said: "This was an excellent opportunity for the Deputy Prime Minister to reconfirm his promise that "the wings will get through". nABOUT 350 suppliers to the A380 Jumbo Airbus went on a tour of the new West Factory at Broughton yesterday.